The Lounge Q+A: Neil Abellanosa, Fitness Trainer

How do you retain clients?

When trainers or coaches like myself, zero in on that one thing, it’s really hard for a client to just stop or drop off. They’ll want to keep you in their life and we’ll make it work no matter what. Like with Zoom or you’re running six feet apart from each other. So I think that’s been kind of a key to my success. It’s chasing excellence instead of popularity or whatever makes a quick buck. And then really just developing those relationships with clients.The other part of it is as you get more into, their life and they tell you about not just their fitness, life, social life, family life, you know, you hear about their friends and their family members and then they begin talking about what they could use. Like, if my friend who has had shoulder surgery really knew about this stuff, he’d really like it.

Changes due to Covid?

I think that’s when really the discipline comes in because once you learn what to do, you’re going to have to find the willpower to really get out there. There’s this article I read about it’s not really about trying to go back to normal. Instead of thinking about going back to normal, let’s think about moving forward. Because some of the things that were normal weren’t really beneficial for us. I have a client now who’s never felt better because now she drives less or not at all. The driving hours each day were really messing her body up. People are now discovering the outdoors, going on walks, hikes. So leaning into that.When teaching them I’m saying that, you know, these are all natural things that are very good for us. So take the time to prioritize getting out there and spending time in nature and working on your wellbeing.

How important is discipline?

I think discipline is key for that because people are often looking for motivation. But it’s really all about discipline because I always tell them motivation is like an escalator, but discipline is the stairs. Like it’s always there, a little bit of work but they still pick you up. I think discipline for me helps with my interests and curiosity in how everything works, how the body works, all that stuff is enough for me because having reasons why is, is super important.Knowing your why and knowing that once you can answer that, it’s much easier to stay motivated because if, if all exercise is to you is a chore, if that’s your level of understanding, it is very easy to lose motivation because it means there’s no attachment to your soul. Once you know, it’s meant to make you feel alive and be more human. You’re like, oh, okay, I get it. I get why I have to do this stuff.

How do you best reach your clients?

Reframing their mindset. So it’s not a punishment, but it’s really a celebration of what your body can do. And so once they, once they realized, I do want to keep improving. We’re putting in this work because it’s making me do more. And then you play with my kids better. I don’t run out of gas when I’m playing with them or like I can get stronger. I just frame everything in this broad way where everything can make sense no matter what they do.

Even the great coaches that I do follow are heavily philosophical and scientific. I feel like naturally our bodies nature is just an expression of all these things: chemistry, biology, and physics. You have to know these things to understand what you are.

Words to live by?

Money follows excellence.

A quote that inspires you?

I think the Socrates quote saying, I’m paraphrasing roughly, “It’s a shame for you, for a man to not really get the most of what his body can do.” You know, it’s like you’re given this body and if you don’t take it to its fullest potential, it’s really a shame on you.

What drives you?

For me it always comes back to how can I be more? How can I be better? So what are the things that are actually human and what are the things that are making us less human? Being a father, a husband, a son, all that stuff is all about being human. So being better at relationships as far as providing, being a good provider, protector, all that stuff, these things I can look at and be like, okay, I’m going to do them and they will make me better, which does include having a body in excellent shape.

I think really looking at your motivations as to what really makes you a human. All those things are strictly human. Like how can you love more? How can you give more? How can you be more empathetic? How can you fight for other people? That’s what I base my life and work on.